Stakeholders want Olubadan, Alaafin, others to prevail on Makinde to hands off Oyo NURTW affairs

STAKEHOLDERS in the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State have called on the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and other traditional rulers in the state to help plead with the governor of the state, Mr Seyi Makinde, to jettison the idea of motor park management arrangement the government is planning to put in place.

The appeal was made during a meeting which held in Ibadan over the weekend.

They noted that the NURTW is an entity totally different from government parastatal hence the arrangement of the motor park management system by the government is illegal and uncalled for.

Former chairman of the union, Alhaji Abideen Ejiogbe, while speaking during the meeting said: “We are appealing to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Alaafin of Oyo, Aseyin of Iseyin and other traditional rulers in the state to help us plead with the governor to jettison the idea of motor park management arrangement the government is putting in place.

“We are against the motor park management arrangement. We strongly believe that this arrangement is targeted at displacing the NURTW which is still in place.

“Let it also be noted that we are not under the supervision of the state government as we are a different entity from government parastatals and agencies. We want leaders in the state to please help beg governor Seyi Makinde to allow NURTW to carry out its statutory functions.”

Also speaking during the meeting, Alhaji Waheed Adeniyi Adeoyo stated that the union has a series of judgments which made it clear that the state government has no business in the activities of the union.

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“It is on this note that we call on governor Seyi Makinde to reverse government’s decision on the appointment of park managers across the state.”

Alhaji Lateef Opeyemi, while lending his voice to the topic of discourse said: “NURTW in Oyo State still stands as it has a solid foundation.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on drivers and Okada riders not to give anybody money beginning from Monday. The people of Oyo State should prevail on Makinde to allow peace to reign by allowing NURTW to function effectively.”

Another major stakeholder, Alhaji Abass Amolese, stated that: “The governor should try as much as possible to be liberal on this matter. Just as he can not dictate how the clothes sellers union at Gbagi market run their union, he should not do the same for drivers’ union.

“The governor should not because he want to satisfy one person infringe on the right of hundreds of people. If he wants to compensate him for whatever he thinks he has done for him, he should look for an alternative.”

The stakeholders, however, unanimously posited that the proposed list of motor park managers to be officially made public on Monday if true is an affront on the proposed peace meeting earlier called by the government.

The list is a confrontation to the stance of many of the NURTW groups and an insincerity of purpose by the state government. The list confirms the fear of majority members of the Oyo State NURTW that the present administration has no capacity to be fair in the affairs of the NURTW.

The meeting was attended by all the warring factions of the union who have agreed to work together for the betterment of the union.